1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotating mixer having a mixing vessel of double-cone shape which is rotatable about a horizontal rotational axis in perpendicular alignment with the vessel axis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In known rotating mixers of this type, the mixing action takes place as a result of a free fall of the charge components inside the rotating mixing vessel. This mixing action does not require the direct application of mixing energy, as in a stir-type mixing action. For this reason, a double-cone rotating mixer is frequently the preferred type of mixer.
The double-cone mixing vessel has openings for charging and discharging which must be maintained in an exact position, when the mixing vessel is manipulated. Because of the comparatively small size of these charge and discharge openings, it is not practical to clean the inside of the double-cone mixing vessel. On the other hand, cost considerations make it uneconomical to use sectioned mixing vessels which can be dismantled for cleaning. It follows that problems are encountered whenever mixing charges of different composition are to be processed in the same double-cone mixer, due to the possibility of contamination of a mixing charge with residue from a preceding charge.